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China attacks US for online warfare in Iran
A Chinese Communist Party editorial says the election unrest in Iran was an example of US 'naked political scheming' behind a facade of free speech. The United States used "online warfare" to stir up unrest in Iran after last year's election, the Guardian cited from a Communist party newspaper article published on Sunday. The People's Daily editorial said the US had launched a "hacker brigade" and used social media such as Twitter to spread rumors and create trouble in Iran. "Behind what America calls free speech is naked political scheming. How did the unrest after the Iranian election come about?" asked the editorial, signed by Wang Xiaoyang. "It was because online warfare launched by America, via YouTube video and Twitter micro blogging, spread rumors, created splits, stirred up and sowed discord between the followers of conservative and reformist factions." At the time of the unrest, Washington had asked Twitter, which was embraced by Iranian anti-government protesters, to remain open. The author of the editorial posed a question about whether activities promoting terrorism would be allowed on the net in the US. "We're afraid that in the eyes of American politicians, only information controlled by America is free information, only news acknowledged by America is free news, only speech approved by America is free speech, and only information flow that suits American interests is free information flow," it added. It also said that the decision to cut off Microsoft's instant messaging services to nations covered by US sanctions, including Cuba, Iran, Syria, Sudan and North Korea, was hypocritical considering America's stated desire for free information flow. Posted by: Fred 2010-01-26 |
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